Building a Life
by LilyWafiq
Summary: Kate and Rick learn to deal with the unexpected side effects of a night together.
1. Chapter 1

**Building a Life**

**Chapter One**

"Dammit, Rick, I'm pregnant!"

The words reverberated around the break room, and Richard Castle stared at the woman who'd just spoken.

"Pre... pregnant?" he stuttered.

Kate Beckett sighed, and nodded. "Yes."

"Oh."

They stood, staring at each other, as the coffee machine finished making their drinks. They sat, untouched, as Rick and Kate stared at each other.

"Is it...? I mean..."

"Yes, it's yours."

"Right. Well, um, okay."

"Castle..."

"Yo, Beckett, got that background check you wanted." Javier Esposito stuck his head into the break room, holding a file. He stopped as he saw the standoff between the detective and the writer. "Did I interrupt something?"

"Yes."

They said it in unison, and then glanced at each other, before looking back towards Esposito. He glanced at Kate, then at Rick.

"Okay. I'll just..." He looked at the file in his hand, then threw it to Kate, before leaving.

"Kate..."

"We can't have this discussion here, Castle. Your place, 8 o'clock, okay?"

"Okay."

Kate avoided eye contact as she brushed past Rick on her way out of the room.

"_Oh, God, Castle, more!"_

_Kate fingers scraped down Rick's back as he moved above her. His weight was pressing her into the mattress, and Kate relished the feel of him._

"_Oh, Kate, Kate..."_

_Kate's legs tightened around Rick's waist, and she moaned loudly, her head falling back onto the pillow. Her eyes were tightly shut, and Rick looked down at her in wonder._

"_You're amazing, Kate," he said as he paused._

_Kate opened her eyes, her mouth falling open. "Please don't stop, Rick, not now."_

_Rick grinned, and gave her a quick kiss before he started moving again. Kate was the first to fall over the edge, and she did loudly._

"_Castle!"_

_Rick came soon after, collapsing against Kate as he did._

_They lay panting for a few minutes, before Rick rolled off Kate, and turned to look at her._

"_Kate...?"_

_She sighed, and climbed out of bed. She threw on her coat, and walked to the doorway. She turned back to Rick before she left, and said, "I'm sorry, Rick. This shouldn't have happened." And then she left. _

_Rick rolled onto his back and sighed._

As Rick expected, his doorbell rang at 7:58 that night. He got up to open it, and let Kate in. She walked past him without saying anything, and flopped down on the couch.

"Alexis and Martha?" she eventually asked.

"Not here," Rick replied. "So... pregnant, huh?"

"Yeah," Kate answered. "I don't know how this happened."

"Well," Rick said, "When a man and a woman love each other very much..."

That earned him the beginning of a smile. "I do know that part, Castle. I meant, I was on the pill."

"Doesn't always work."

"Obviously."

They sat in silence for a moment, before Rick reached out and took one of Kate's hands.

"Kate... you know how I feel about you, right?"

"I think I've figured it out by now," Kate answered. She shuffled closer to Rick, and put her free hand on his knee. "What are we going to do?"

"We're going to do what any expecting couple does. Love each other, hate each other, freak out..."

"Love each other?"

"Well..."

Kate smiled up at Rick, and moved her hand to his cheek. "And you'll be here for me?"

"No matter what."

Kate leant closer still, and kissed Rick gently. "Thank you."

Rick kissed her back. "I love you, Kate."

Kate just smiled back at Rick.

**A/N: More to come soon :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

"_Kate, I really need to talk to you."_

"_Castle, I don't want to talk about it!"_

_Rick grabbed Kate's arm, and swung her around to face him. "You can't just ignore what happened! We have something special here, you know that!"_

"_I'm just not ready for this, Rick!" Kate wrenched her arm out of Rick's grip, and stalked past him, back to her desk._

"_Kate..."_

Rick awoke to find Kate pressed up against him, fast asleep. He smiled down at her, and kissed her gently on the head. They'd spent the night talking about kids and what they were going to do once they had the baby. Eventually, Kate had announced that she was going home, and Rick had persuaded her to stay for the night. She'd gone to bed in the spare bedroom, so Rick was slightly surprised to find to her at his door later in the night. He'd welcomed her in, and they'd fallen asleep wrapped in each other's arms.

Kate began to stir, and she turned to look up at Rick. "Good morning," she said with a smile.

"Good morning," Rick replied, smiling back. "How are you?"

"A bit tired. But all right."

"So, a baby. Still a bit hard to believe, hey?"

Kate nodded. "Yeah. I've never really thought about having kids, you know? I just always imagined what it would be like for my child to lose me. In my profession..."

"Kate, shh."

"But..."

Rick brushed some hair out of Kate's eyes, and kissed her on the forehead. "It's not going to happen, okay?"

Kate still looked a bit worried, but she nodded once.

At the precinct that day, the mood was somewhat subdued. It seemed that Esposito had told his partner, Kevin Ryan, about what he'd witnessed the previous day, and as such, they were treading carefully around both Kate and Rick. For his part, Rick was doing his best not to irritate Kate, and he even seemed to be touching her more often than normal. Esposito, Ryan, and Kate's best friend Lanie Parish were huddled around Esposito's desk watching as Kate and Rick stood in the break room, talking quietly with each other. They watched as Kate giggled at something Rick said, and Lanie turned to her boyfriend.

"There is something going on there."

Esposito nodded. "I swear he was guiding her around with his hand on her back earlier."

"You don't think..." Ryan started.

"They wouldn't..." Esposito added.

"They so would!" Lanie finished. "Have you seen them? They're ready to jump each other in everything they do!"

"But I don't know... They also seem kinda..."

Ryan stopped talking as he saw Kate and Rick exit the break room. Kate stopped in her tracks as she saw her three friends crowded around Esposito's desk.

"What are you three up to?" she asked.

"Nothing."

"Why would we be up to something?"

Esposito and Ryan answered quickly. Lanie stood up instead. She walked over to Kate and stared intently at her.

"What's going on, girl?"

"What?"

Lanie glanced at Rick, who was hovering behind Kate protectively, and then pointedly back at Kate.

Kate looked behind her, at Rick, and then back at Lanie. "Uh... not here, Lanie, I'll tell you later..."

"No, girl, you'll tell me now!"

Kate glanced behind Lanie at Esposito and Ryan, who were listening intently. Then she glanced back at Rick, who smiled encouragingly.

"Well..." Kate sighed, and she grabbed Rick's hand. "Yes, okay, we are kind of together right now. But please, don't draw attention to us. We just want to keep our lives as private as possible, okay?"

Lanie was grinning like a maniac when Kate finished talking, and she threw her arms around her friend. "Oh, Kate!"

Kate patted Lanie awkwardly on the back, and smiled slightly at Rick.

Esposito clapped Rick on the back, and gave him a stern stare. "You hurt her, we hurt you. Got it?"

Rick nodded at Esposito and Ryan, who was also giving him a look.

"We need to get together and talk later, okay?" Lanie said quietly to Kate while the men were occupied.

"Yeah."

"My place, tonight?"

"Sure, Lanie."

Lanie gave Kate another smile as she let go of her and took Esposito's hand. She dragged him away, calling over her shoulder, "See you later Castle, tonight Kate!"

Ryan watched them go, before glancing at Rick and Kate. "Well, I think I've got work to do..." he said, and went back to his desk.

"So, you coming over tonight?" Rick asked quietly.

"I told Lanie I'd go to hers tonight," Kate replied.

"Well, after that."

"Castle..."

"Okay, you don't have to come over. It was just a suggestion."

Kate reached out and laid a hand on Rick's forearm. "Rick, I still need some time, okay? My life has been turned upside down in the last few days, and it's going to take me a while to adjust. Don't crowd me, okay?"

Rick pouted slightly, but nodded.

"Maybe tomorrow night."

"'Kay."

"Now, I've got work to do." Kate smiled over her shoulder back at Rick as she walked to her desk. She sat down and continued with her paperwork.

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews for the first chapter :) It's always nice to get feedback.**

**Hope you enjoyed this, and I am off to write chapter 3!**

**P.S: Not 100% sure when this is set yet, but probably in the future by a year or two. I guess I'm going to have to make up a new Captain...**

**How EPIC was that finale?**

**Also, just in case you didn't guess, that **_**italics**_** are flashbacks.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Kate was lounging on Lanie's couch, feet tucked underneath her. She was absent-mindedly rubbing her stomach as she talked with Lanie about what was happening with her friend and Esposito. Kate didn't notice her actions, but Lanie sure did.

"Okay, girl, spill. You and Castle. There's more to it isn't there?"

Kate sighed, and stilled her hand as she realised. "Well..."

"Kate, are you pregnant?"

"Well..."

"Oh, my God! You are!" Lanie almost leapt off the couch in her excitement. "Kate Beckett! You are pregnant!"

"Yes, okay, Lanie, yes. I am."

"Oh, my God!" Lanie said again. "I can't believe it! You and writer boy getting it on and making babies! This is fantastic!"

"No, Lanie..." Kate was trying to regain control of the situation, but Lanie was too far gone.

"So you're obviously not that far along, which begs the question, when exactly did you and Castle decide to procreate?"

Kate sighed, and pursed her lips. "It wasn't a conscious decision, Lanie. We got carried away one night, and ended up in bed. We're only together right now because of this baby."

"That's not true, and you know it," Lanie replied. "Yes, this may have given you a shove, but you and Castle have always been destined to be together. You've been in a sexless relationship for years, you can't deny that."

"Maybe so, but this is a huge step. It's like we've skipped the dating part and gone straight to family."

"Are you scared?"

"Yes, Lanie. I'm terrified."

"Why? Because Castle will be a lousy father?"

"What? No. He's a fantastic father."

"So why? Because he's going to leave you?" Lanie was poking holes in Kate's argument.

"Well, no, I don't think he will," Kate answered. "But this is such a big life decision."

"It's alright to be scared, girl. That's normal. But you and Castle. You guys are solid."

Kate looked up at Lanie. "You think so?"

"I know so. You guys can only go forward from here. You'll be fine. He loves you."

"I know."

"And you love him. Right?"

"Well..."

"Kate."

"Okay, yes. Yes, I do."

Lanie grinned at Kate. "I knew it! So are you going to tell him that?"

Kate sat silently for a while, before nodding slowly. "Yeah, I will. I will."

"Good," Lanie replied. "So, I'm guessing you don't want a glass of wine then?"

Kate smiled at her friend. "No. but I'll take a water."

"Anything for you, mom," Lanie said with a grin.

Kate rolled her eyes.

It was later that night and Rick was sitting behind his desk, typing quickly on his laptop. He was in the zone, and didn't immediately hear the doorbell.

"Richard! The door!" yelled Martha from somewhere in the loft.

He looked up, startled, and then heard the doorbell ring again. He saved his document and got up to answer the door. He was surprised to find Kate standing there when he swung the door open.

"Kate."

"I love you," was the reply.

Rick raised his eyebrows, unsure of what he'd heard. "I'm sorry?"

"I love you, Rick. I should have told you weeks ago. I love you."

Rick reached out a hand, and pulled Kate into the loft, shutting the door behind her. He said nothing as he led her through the loft to his bedroom. He sat her down on his bed, and stared down at her. "I've waited so long to hear you say that."

Kate smiled shyly up at Rick, and reached up a hand. She grabbed Rick's shirt, and pulled him down so she could kiss him. He pushed her backwards onto his bed, and followed her down, propping himself up with both arms on either side of Kate's head. He leant down and kissed her again, fully intending to take it slow this time, to show Kate just how much she meant to him.

The first time they did this, it was a spur of the moment decision. It was fast and hard, and had been over all too soon. This time, they took it slow, exploring each other's body and learning what they liked. It was sweet, and everything that Rick had wanted their first time to be. They truly made love this time, Kate's admission made it all the more special.

Wrapped in each other's arms later that night, they whispered nonsense things to each other, and laughed at silly thoughts. They were happy. They were in love. For the moment, all was right with the world.

**A/N: I feel like I could end this story here. I might come back to it in the future, but for now this is it.**

**Reviews are always welcome. :)**


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